1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a side lock apparatus for opening and closing members, such as, for example, a glove box fixed to an instrument panel of an automobile so that the glove box can be opened and closed.
2. Description of the Related Art
A related art side lock apparatus of this kind is formed (refer to, for example, JP-A-4-60079) by supporting left and right link levers rotatably via shafts in a housing fixed in a central portion of a glove box body (not concretely shown), providing at upper end portions of the left and right link levers a pair of latches which enter and get out of lock holes made in an instrument panel, and fixing between lower end portions of the left and link levers a tension coiled spring which urges the two latches in the direction in which the latches constantly engage the interior of the lock holes.
When the glove box body is in a closed state, the free end portions of the latches which are provided on the upper end portions of the left and right link levers are engaged with the opposed left and right lock holes of the instrument panel, and the glove box is thereby locked in its closing position. In order to open this glove box by releasing the glove box from the locked state thereof, projecting arms provided so as to face the intermediate portions of the left and right link levers are pressed down by a turning operation of the operating handle against the urging pressure of the tension coiled spring. As a result, the left and right link levers are turned in the direction opposite to the urging direction, so that the free end portions of the latches are moved back from the lock holes. This enables the glove box to be moved in its opening direction.
The operating handle in the related art side lock apparatus is supported via a shaft on a bearing member set up on the side of the housing so that the operating handle can be turned. Under the circumstances, in vehicles of right steering wheel specifications and left steering wheel specifications used in countries of different traffic laws, the positions in which the glove box is provided differ from each other. Therefore, in order to provide the operating handle of the side lock apparatus in a position other than a central portion of the glove box, it was necessary that the side lock apparatus including the operating handle be changed in the vehicles of the respective specifications. Even when the operating direction and operating system of the operating handle are necessarily changed due to the conditions and character of countries or fashion, a change of design of the side lock apparatus is made every time under compulsion.